“Bigfoot Networks thinks it can change that with the Killer NIC, a network card the company claims reduces lag and improves overall responsiveness in online games. Lag is the scourge of online gaming–a very real impediment to serious players and an almost universal excuse for the poor performance of the rest of us. Surely, the promise of eliminating a problem so widespread would have gamers lined up ready to open their wallets. But the Killer NIC costs around $250, and that’s a big ask for a component we’ve grown accustomed to getting for free.I’ve spent the last few weeks exploring the Killer NIC’s impact on lag and game responsiveness, and I’ve come away rather surprised by the results. Are those results, combined with the Killer’s other unique capabilities, worth $250? Read on to find out”
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- Green Grid announces roadmap to efficient data center nirvana @ Ars Technica
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- What’s Wrong With Windows Subscription @ CoolTechZone
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- Why Safari Isn’t a Safe Development Platform @ OSWeekly
- Microsoft vs. The Linux World @ MadPenguin
- Datasheets Section @ Hardware Secrets
- Installing Windows Vista For N00bs @ TechARP
Pay a premium for professional ping performance?

The Tech Report has been testing out the controversial Killer NIC from Bigfoot Networks. Bearing a $250 price tag, this NIC sports a Freescale system-on-a-chip that runs at 400MHz, as well as an embedded version of Linux. One of the more interesting features on the card is the ability to write software for the card using Bigfoot’s Flexible Network Architecture. This software can be used to interface with the onboard firewall and BitTorrent client, but theoretically the software on the board can be modified beyond that, considering the USB port on the back. As far as the impact on gaming goes, you’ll have to read on to find out.